Compare/Head to head

Degreed vs Skillsoft

Same facts, side by side: starting price, free tier, MCP, API and what each one is actually built for.

Starting price

Degreed

Sales-quoted

Degreed is a learning experience platform and skills data layer for global enterprises that already run one or more LMSs. It is quote-only: Degreed Learning, Skills+ and Academies are each priced by needs and headcount, with bundle discounts. Degreed Maestro AI coaching and an official MCP server are its main 2026 selling points.

Where Degreed fits

  • Global enterprises with several LMSs and content libraries
  • Skills-based workforce transformation programs
  • Cohort academies for leadership or AI fluency
  • Teams that want learning inside ChatGPT, Claude or Copilot

Skillsoft

$25/seat/mo Free trial

Skillsoft is the content-heavy end of enterprise learning: a very large Percipio library across leadership, compliance and technology, now wrapped in a skills management layer with CAISY, an AI simulator for practising hard conversations, and an AI coach. Small teams can start at $25 per seat a month; enterprise deals are sales-quoted.

Where Skillsoft fits

  • Enterprises that want one library for leadership, compliance and technology training
  • L&D teams that need to practise soft skills at scale, not just assign courses
  • Companies already on Workday, SuccessFactors or Cornerstone that want certified learning integrations
  • Tech teams upskilling with Codecademy for Enterprise and instructor-led classes

At a glance

DetailDegreedSkillsoft
Starting priceSales-quoted$25/seat/mo
Free tier–No–No
Free trialNot on recordYes
MCP server✓Yes–No
Public API✓Yes✓Yes
Listed underLearning, People analytics, Succession & internal mobilityLearning
Capterra4.5 from 24 reviewsNot enough reviews

Where they pull apart

Degreed

Stands out: Degreed Maestro delivers AI role-play, coaching and adaptive exercises, and Skills Check-Ins calibrate employee skill ratings against the company's own taxonomy. The Degreed MCP lets ChatGPT and Claude update skills and share learning while admins choose which capabilities are exposed.

Watch out: Degreed is not a compliance LMS on its own, so many buyers still need a separate LMS. Pricing is custom by headcount and Degreed does not advertise a free trial, so evaluation runs through demos.

Not the right fit for

  • Small companies that need a simple course LMS
  • Regulated teams that need audit-grade compliance tracking as the core tool

Skillsoft

Stands out: CAISY. Most learning platforms stop at a video and a quiz; CAISY lets a first-time manager rehearse a feedback conversation or a recruiter practise a tough client call with an AI that responds in character and then critiques the exchange. Combined with the depth of the library, including Codecademy for Enterprise and live instructor-led tech classes, it covers more of the skill-building lifecycle than most rivals.

Watch out: It is a large enterprise platform and the enterprise price is quoted, with independent estimates running from tens of thousands to several hundred thousand dollars a year for big deployments. The self-serve Teams plan is content access, not the full skills management platform. There is no MCP server, and the skills data is only as good as the roles and HR data you feed it.

Not the right fit for

  • Small companies that just need a simple LMS
  • Teams that want a modern LXP interface over their own content rather than a vendor library
  • Anyone who needs an MCP server or agent access to learning data

Pros and cons

Degreed

  • Strong skills data model with custom rubrics and skill inference
  • Official MCP access for ChatGPT, Claude and Copilot
  • Free Degreed Open Library of AI-curated pathways
  • No published prices and no self-serve trial
  • Usually sits beside an LMS rather than replacing it
  • Best value needs multiple products bundled

Skillsoft

  • One of the largest enterprise learning libraries, including tech and Codecademy
  • CAISY lets people practise conversations with AI feedback
  • Certified Workday integration and connectors for the main LMS and LXP platforms
  • Self-serve Teams plan with a published price and free trial
  • Enterprise pricing is quoted and can run high
  • No MCP server
  • Skills intelligence depends on clean role and HR data

What each one costs

Degreed

Sales-quoted

Degreed does not publish prices. Its pricing page lists three products, Degreed Learning (LXP), Degreed Skills+ and Degreed Academies, each quoted through sales, with pricing based on company needs, budget and headcount. All products include basic skills, AI and machine learning capabilities, automation, reporting, 24/7 support and APIs. Professional services are extra, and Degreed offers bundle pricing for two or more products. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 19 Sep 2026

Skillsoft

$25/seat/mo

Skillsoft Teams, the self-serve plan for individuals and small groups, is listed at $25 per seat a month with monthly or annual billing and a free trial, for teams of up to a few hundred seats. Enterprise Percipio deals, Codecademy for Enterprise, coaching and instructor-led training are sales-quoted, priced by headcount and the content and services chosen. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 28 Sep 2026

Common questions

Can you try Degreed or Skillsoft for free?
Neither carries a free tier on our listing. Skillsoft offers a free trial.
Does Degreed or Skillsoft have an MCP server?
Degreed ships a first party MCP server, so an AI assistant can work the product directly.

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Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 19 Sep 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?